The Test of Local Adaptability of Tea Varieties for Black Tea in Kyushu Region (Part 1)

The Growth and the Ability to Survive over the Winter of the Young Tea Plant

Abstract

Using 15 varieties (Assam varieties and Assam hybrids), the test of local adaptability of tea varieties for black tea has been made at the 15 experimental spots in Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Nagasaki and Ôita prefectures. Up to the present, the observations have been carried out on the growth and the ability to survive over the winter of the young tea plants of one to three years old.
Fifteen experimental spots were divided into five groups, being based on the weather conditions.
There were significant differences of the cold resistance in winter among the used, varieties, and their ranking was as follows: At>AN (NA, CA)>G₁Ak>AAN (AA)>Ai.
Some differences with regard to the rooting properties of the planted trees were observed among the experimental spots, but there were not so distinct differences among the used varieties.
The growth in the warm places was superior to that in the low temperature regions. In the low temperature regions, hardy varieties showed normal and good growth. In the warm places, however, each variety showed normal growth and non-hardy varieties showed good growth.
All varieties could survive over the winter in the warm places, but in the low temperature regions two cases were observed as follows: In one case hardy varieties alone could survive and in the other case some non-hardy varieties also could survive.
From the above results, it was concluded that Assam varieties, AAN and AN Assam hybrids could survive over the winter and showed the normal and good growth in the islands, the warm coasts and the almost all areas of south Kyushu respectively.